expositions et événements

March 8, 2004

Place: Ottawa

OTTAWA ARTS NEEDS YOUR HELP BEFORE MARCH 24!

My Ottawa
includes
Culture
Support the Arts

The current per capita spending on the arts in Canada's four largest cities:
Montreal..........$26.62
Vancouver.......$17.71
Toronto...........$14.64
Ottawa............$3.89 (Current)
Ottawa............57˘ (If Draft Budget 2004 is approved)

The City of Ottawa's Draft Budget 2004 annihilates Ottawa's arts community. It proposes an 80% cut to all arts funding and elimination of all festivals. Supporters of arts for Ottawa have until March 24 (when City of Ottawa Councillors will approve the final budget) to make their voices heard. Please support the arts in Ottawa by writing the Mayor and Ottawa City Councillors, letting them know that Ottawa will not be a travel destination for you if they approve this budget. Please ask them to reinstate 100% of Ottawa's arts funding. You can find the e-mail addresses and information about the proposed budget here:

www.ottawaartgallery.ca/budget2004/petition-en.php

You can also cut and paste the addresses and message below into an e-mail.

The City of Ottawa's entire arts budget is equivalent to the cost of 1˝ city intersections.

"If the new Ottawa budget goes through, Ottawa's arts spending will fall to 57˘ per capita, making the national capital a national disgrace-and an international laughingstock." -National Post

SAMPLE LETTER TO SEND TO MAYOR CHIARELLI AND CITY OF OTTAWA COUNCILLORS:

Dear Mayor Chiarelli and City of Ottawa Councillors,

It is with great concern that I write you about your plans to cut funding to the arts in Ottawa.

A vibrant arts community is essential to any successful urban area. By abandoning the arts at the municipal level, you rob the citizens of Ottawa of their voice. You will cause a collapse in the investment of local artists and audiences. In addition, the Ontario and Canadian granting agencies will cut funding as a direct result of lack of local support.

As the artists and arts organizations in Ottawa have proven, Ottawa is more than just a federal workplace. It is a real and vital city due to its artists, local arts organizations, and the many people who are entertained, educated and served by them. To cut arts funding will initially seem to save money, but it is ultimately self-defeating.